Shloka 24

Bhakti-māhātmya: The Marks of the Vaiṣṇava and the Liberating Power of Exclusive Devotion

Devanagari script

यस्मिन्भक्तिर्द्विजश्रेष्ठ मुक्तिरप्यचिराद्भवेत् / निविष्टमनसां पुंसां सर्वथा वृजिनक्षयः

Transliteration

yasminbhaktirdvijaśreṣṭha muktirapyacirādbhavet / niviṣṭamanasāṃ puṃsāṃ sarvathā vṛjinakṣayaḥ

Translation

ഹേ ദ്വിജശ്രേഷ്ഠാ! ആരിൽ ഭക്തി ഉദിക്കുന്നു, അവന് അധികം വൈകാതെ മുക്തി ലഭിക്കും; അതിൽ മനസ്സ് ദൃഢമായി ലീനമായിരിക്കുന്നവരുടെ പാപം സർവ്വവിധത്തിലും ക്ഷയിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• यस्मिन्: in whom
• यस्मिन्: Adhikaraṇa (Locus)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (locative singular: 'in whom/where')

• भक्तिः: devotion
• भक्तिः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• द्विजश्रेष्ठ: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (dvijānāṃ śreṣṭhaḥ) (vocative singular)

• मुक्तिः: liberation
• मुक्तिः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Addition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-निपात (particle: 'also/even')

• अचिरात्: soon
• अचिरात्: Sambandha (Temporal relation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अचिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्यय (ablatival adverb: 'soon/after no long time')

• भवेत्: may occur, would arise
• भवेत्: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• निविष्टमनसाम्: of those whose minds are absorbed
• निविष्टमनसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निविष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √विश् with नि-) + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (निविष्टं मनः येषाम्) (gen. pl.)

• पुंसाम्: of men
• पुंसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुम्स्/पुंस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन (genitive plural)

• सर्वथा: entirely
• सर्वथा: Sambandha (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'in every way/entirely')

• वृजिनक्षयः: destruction of sin
• वृजिनक्षयः: Karta (Subject/Result)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृजिन (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (vṛjinasya kṣayaḥ) (nom. sg.)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra, addressing a dvija as 'dvijaśreṣṭha' within the teaching style of the Purana)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Bhakti brings near-term mukti; for those with firmly fixed minds, sins are destroyed in every way.

Vedantic Theme: Grace-mediated purification: bhakti burns papa and accelerates liberation; chitta-nivesha (absorption) as decisive inner condition.

Application: Stabilize devotion through daily practice (japa, puja, kirtana) and mental anchoring (smarana throughout the day); use repentance and recommitment to remove recurring papa patterns.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: Vishnu-nama responsiveness (cf. 1.227.23); Garuda Purana: Vaishnava immunity from Yama’s claim (cf. 1.227.25)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of bhakti in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that devotion is a direct cause of quick liberation and that single-minded devotion brings complete destruction of sin.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By emphasizing inner absorption in devotion, it presents purification (sin-eradication) as the essential preparation that enables liberation rather than continued bondage.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate steady devotional practice (japa, prayer, remembrance, service) and keep the mind anchored in it; the verse frames this as a practical way to reduce wrongdoing and move toward spiritual freedom.